Haley's insta feed is so aesthetically pleasing, even if you're not a bride to be. I love looking at her lettering and calligraphy photos and getting ideas for work or home decor as well. I'm not going to lie, one of my FAVE part of her page and the reason I know her insta name by heart, is the fact that she logs her weekly meal plans and shares them on her blog for free. She is THE QUEEN of freezer prepping meals ahead of time and showing on her stories how she manages wholesome meals for she and her husband utilizing the make ahead approach.

I want to be Ashley Berry when I grow up! Seriously, she has one of those energies that gives you energy and inspires you. Her feed is a STUNNING visual representation of her deep healing work, radical self-care, and spiritual wisdom. I've had the pleasure of doing two readings with her in the past, and messages that she helped clarify to me through spirit, have transformed my life. RUN don't walk to follow her and see how you can connect more deeply with the spiritual realm during your 2019 healing journey.

Landyn is a working mama of 2, running her own business and KILLING it at all things lifestyle. You also may recognize her as the wife of Steve Hutchinson, former 12 season NFL player for the Seahawks, Vikings, and the Titans. She has a robust insta feed and blog, but I'm in it for her insta stories. She talks all things party planning, skincare, weeknight recipes, home decor, mom life, dry shampoo, lash extensions, hair color, gift guides, and more. She's hilarious. I PROMISE you won't regret it.

I love following lots of food bloggers because .. let's face it.. I love food. BUT many times the "health conscious" food bloggers lack the #realness I'm looking for. I want to be healthy and fit, but I also want to live my life. Kelsey is hilarious and shows plenty of food but also a lot of life. Famous for her 5 foot cheese boards, delicious desserts within reason, she'll have you laughing and not taking yourself too seriously on this life-long wellness journey.

If ya don't know, now ya know. Where to start with this one. I've been following Danika for years now. I think I initially stumbled onto her through the Whole 30 page, since she is a Whole 30 coach, but man did I hit the jackpot with that follow. Danika is a model, owns her company Model Meals (healthy whole 30 meals delivered in CA), and is a major influencer in the way of self-care and routine. My words won't do her justice. Follow along and get a fascinating glimpse of her world.

I love when I finally find a great product. Drinks, make-up, books, podcasts, etc.- it's great for someone else to weed through the not so good, and share the tried and true. The things I'm sharing today are my all-time favorites. These are things I have tested and loved for a LONG time and that have beaten out many other products of their kind. I figured summer is a great time to try new things, so I hope you enjoy!

It's no secret, I LOVE DATA!! I wasn't always like this, though. I use to think of data as a burden and a means for dehumanizing the very human work we do as school counselors. Now, data is my best friend! I'll tell you why.

Why data rocks:

First of all, it's super validating! So often we make "to do lists" but never "already done lists"! As school counselors, we work SO HARD and sacrifice so much to create a program that best serves our students. It feels great and is very emotionally healthy to take time to reflect and see what we have done.

The less touchy feely but equally important reason, data is the path to change! Data doesn't lie! The people who make decisions about education (large or small scale) are very often following the paths of data. Whether you have a small district or a large district, showing your data is (in my opinion) the best and most effective way to advocate for change and make specific requests for change for your program.

People don't know what they don't know, until they see it! When I show teachers and parents my data, they grow to understand what I do. They see my struggles with time, they see how my counseling affects change, and they grow to empathize and advocate for my program, without me having to complain or really say a word. The numbers speak for themselves and are eye opening for the MANY stakeholders who are still learning about our role.

Data is the primary fuel that fires growth in the areas of productivity and program and personal efficiency. Many of you, like me, strive to make the most out of your time by using effective and efficient systems and processes. Tracking data is the way to make these changes.

Data to collect at the end of the year:

A complete project / responsibilities list - You will thank yourself later! Go back through your systems and make a complete list of every project you've initiated or have been asked to work on, each team you lead or are a part of, and EVERY SINGLE type of activity you worked on this year.

How can you advocate to get rid of certain duties, if you don't have a complete list of all of what's on your plate?!

This list will help you explain "what you do" to parents, teachers, kids and more next year!

I promise you, there WILL come a time when you think "hmm.. I know I've been working hard all week.. but what was I doing?" and your list will help you turn that meaningful work into data.

Use of time analysis - Tracking the way you spend your time is, in my unpopular opinion, an ABSOLUTE non-negotiable GOLDEN RULE of being a school counselor. It's not easy and even I'll admit it's taken me a few years to finally develop a system that works for me consistently, but it's SO important.

I believe this is THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of data you can track. If you are assigned inappropriate duties that you eventually want to change, you need to develop a system you can be consistent with and STICK WITH IT!

When I go to advocate for the removal of a certain duty, I can say "I spent ______ hours on this task this year. In that amount of time I could've led 2 small groups, or met individually with 6 additional students, etc."

More on this in another post.. but I use SCUTA to track my time in 15 minute increments and I keep it bookmarked on my computer, ipad, and cell phone so no matter where I am at (on the floor with a kid in crisis, waiting outside for a fire drill to end, etc.) I can update my time.

Individual Counseling Data - I like to be able to share with stakeholders how many individual counseling sessions I had, the pie chart of individual counseling per grade, what topics were focused on the most, and the source of the referrals. I get this data from an ongoing google form I use.

As much Process Data as you Can Find - Number of counseling lessons taught, number of suicide assessments completed, number of CYF reports, number of students who applied for FAFSA, college, etc. Changes in caseload numbers, gather it all!

Even if you only choose to share some.. collect it all! Then you can compare the data in years to come, so you can say "suicide assessments have doubled in the last 3 years, what can we implement to help our students with these issues?"

Each program is different and you may have other components of your program you need to track as well. The most important part of tracking data is consistency. You have to commit to the importance of tracking and plan thoughtfully and reasonably about what you can keep up with. If you only track for half a year or a few months, your data won't be usable. When you plan for next year, think about little changes you can make in your daily habits that will set you up to be able to easily and quickly pull some of these number!

Comment below some other types of data you round-up and I will add them to a list for a follow up post! :)

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Most people might say that about the Christmas season, but the start of the new year is my absolute favorite component of the winter season. (I phrase it that way because I can't say it's my favorite time of year necessarily, I mean hello .. summer, but I do like it very much).

Being cynical about it is a fear response.

Many people laugh and tease about resolutions, since they often go unaccomplished, but I promise you it can be done. Something important to remember though, is that "there is nothing magical about January 1st". Lara Casey from Cultivate What Matters, author of my beloved goal setting method of choice, the Powersheets, says that phrase frequently. We should be reflecting, setting goals, and planning regularly throughout the year if we want to accomplish big things. Living intentionally, with purpose in this way has even been found in the research to correlate with higher income and living a longer life!

Methods for setting goals can vary.

The reason so many folks tease about resolutions, is because they have felt the disappointment and shame of not accomplishing something they've set out to. The reason I think most people fail is that they set a goal (usually only in their mind or carelessly written) and then do not implement a trusted system to help them stay on track and revisit their plans regularly. I use the Cultivate What Matters Powersheets for this reason- to keep myself on track. I have a lot of ideas naturally and have many different components of my life I am setting goals for, so this works perfectly for me. If goal setting is hard for you or you are challenged when trying to come up with goals, I would suggest reading the book The One Thingby Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. This will help you narrow your focus and start small. It works.

Where to start?

Brainstorm any ideas you have. Jot them ALL down. Don't censor. Ask yourself questions about what you want your life to be like. How do you want to feel? What's most important to you this year?

Look over what you've written down. Look for trends & then group by category. Try to summarize categories into one sentence (Big Picture Goals)

Now, work to create action steps that will get you to those big picture goals. Think about SMART- how can you make your goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-sensitive. (Action Steps)

Lastly, (AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IN MY MIND) you've got to get these action steps into your calendar or a trusted reminder system so you are prompted to do the work. It's HARD to change. You've got to do the work. You need a system to remind you.

Revisit these goals: monthly, weekly, and maybe even daily! Set aside a block of time each week to sit down and plan your next steps. This is crucial.

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. -Mother Teresa

Happy 2018! Make it a great year!

In a world where the media is plagued by news of tragedy, controversy, and debate, let's take just a few minutes to glorify some great things that are happening in media, as well. If you've seen The Ellen DeGeneres Show, you can't deny the "feel good vibes" that radiate from this programming. I hardly EVER watch TV, as most of the programming leaves me feeling unproductive, brain-dead and like I've wasted valuable time. The Ellen Show leaves me feeling refreshed, happy and hopeful for a world where people are genuine, authentic, kind, and loving. The Ellen Show is one of the few programs on TV that give me inspiration and can be a valuable part of my daily self-care.

I'm a 25 year old new middle school counselor, and I often find myself emotionally drained at the end of a hard day advocating for students and navigating an often "lacking" educational system. Since my job requires me to be in my best mental and emotional health, I am so thankful to have such a simple yet effective media outlet to tune into for a funny/inspirational boost.

Here are 5 Life Lessons I've learned from Ellen:

1. Being comfortable in your own skin is the greatest beauty product on the market.

Ellen does some marketing/modeling for CoverGirl. This is cool and all, but I know that the GLOW we see on Ellen in her commercials, TV Show, and other appearances comes not from Covergirl Olay Simply Ageless Serum, but from her confidence and authenticity in her own skin. I would venture to guess it took some practice and hard work to become this authentic- we all face insecurities. Ellen's authenticity and radiance inspire me to make daily purposeful changes to the things I tell myself and the goals I make for myself. We can grow our self-love with practice and mindfulness.

2. Being vulnerable is to be lovable.

There is nothing more vulnerable than to choose to do what you truly desire and ignore the fearful part within you that screams "What if people think you're weird?!". To dance is to be completely organic. So few places in our country is dancing socially acceptable- night clubs, weddings, etc. So many other cultures dance daily! Some African cultures consider Dancing, Singing, and Instrument playing activities that occur in groups for EVERY occasion. You might experience more joy and vibrance at a Ghanian funeral than you would at some weddings in America! To dance is to use one's body to express personality and life in a unique and individual way.

When we watch these clips of people dance we get the warm happy fuzzies. Because of our viewing this, we deem these people lovable. Let us all rejoice in our individuality and dance! Choose to be vulnerable. We are lovable too.

3. We must embrace diversity within the human species to live a full and free life.

The Ellen Show is one of the only "talk shows" you can watch and consistently "meet" and hear from people and groups who are not already famous. This is because, Ellen sees the value in diversity. Ellen realizes that we ALL have strengths and talents, and OH what a magical world it is when we highlight each other's strengths and seek to learn from those different than us. Can you imagine how few ideas and inventions we would have if we were all exactly like Donald Trump?! If we were all like Matthew McConaughey? I thank god for diversity every single time my boyfriend and I try to pick a restaurant to go to for dinner. He gets out a list and uses his logic to narrow down the choices according to our needs. I'm usually already drowning in feelings, too hangry to communicate in a language other than grunts. We need each other! Our brains were designed to be together, and what a wealth of opportunity we miss when we consistently seek people and things that are just like us.

4. To give is to gain.​Most people I've met, regardless of religion or lack of religion, can agree that they aim to "do good" while they're on this earth. Not only does giving to others make us feel great but I believe that the good we do creates a chain reaction. This "pay it forward" mentality inspires others to do good and by being selfless and thoughtful we can work together to "grow" the good in our society. Ellen has this as a main priority on her show and in her life. I know that if Ellen were asked she wouldn't want to be glorified or praised for her giving, she would ask that we each go forward and use the energy to "pass it on". Let this be a reminder of that choice.

5. Play is an important part of adult self care.​Think of a child you know and what it looks like when they're playing. Children can play for hours, living in what seems to be a land of imagination. They play with things that "aren't toys" in ways that they "weren't designed for" and they often make up an imaginary dialogue to accompany their play that often exceeds the realm of logical, adult understanding. It is magical to watch a child play. We, as adults, still have this part within us. We need play, too! It's vitally important for us to break down the barriers that keep us from playing and having fun so that we can engage in this liberating form of self-care. Ellen has "play" down pat. "Play" is the atmosphere that encompasses the entire Ellen Show Studio. When the audience is filmed in transition or in idle periods, they are buzzing with energy and having fun! What a vibrant life we would live if we could continue this playful attitude into our daily lives.

​Thanks Ellen & all of the crew at The Ellen Degeneres Show, for being you!

Meet Alaina!

Hi there, I'm Alaina! I am an Elementary School Counselor in Pennsylvania. Prior to moving here, I was a middle school counselor in West Virginia and Florida. In addition to my role as a school counselor and teacher, I am a PRODUCTIVITY and SELF DEVELOPMENT junkie, planner addict, and new wifey!